Wash the rice, soak in 4 cups of salty water for one hour before cooking.

Shred lengthwise cabbage leaves. chop finely all herbs. peel off onion and chop it finely.

Put a pan over a medium heat, add some olive oil and add chopped onion and allow to cook for about 10 minutes, stir it occasionally.

Add minced meat, stir it and breaking up any large chunks with spoon. Once color of meat is brown, add some red pepper and salt and saffron water.Remove it from the heat.

Put a pan on a medium heat and add 2tbs of olive oil, and add shredded cabbage leaves. Add all spices to cabbage leaves. cook for about 10 minutes or until have softened.

Then, add chopped herbs to cabbage leaves. Stir it until herbs have softened, and then remove it from the heat.

Put a pot with water on a high heat, bring it to boil. Drain salted water of rice and pour it into the boiled water. Let it to cook for about 10 minutes or until slightly is soft. Drain the rice in a colander under running water.

In a nonstick pot, add 2tbs of olive oil,

Place 3-4 cabbage leaves on the bottom of pot.

Then add some of parboiled rice.

Cover it with a layer of herbs

And next layer with minced meat and finish with a layer of rice. Cover the pot with lid. Allow to cook on a medium heat for 15-20 minutes. Once it is cooked, remove it from the heat, and serve it with pickles, salad.

Ingredients